I began making books several years ago, with much help from Nik the Booksmith's brilliant videos and tutorials. Her class on tiny books inspired me to create and design my own. The little grief book was the first one I put together, originally using Kōno Bairei's (幸野 楳嶺) lovely, peaceful Meiji-era illustrations.

The words inside the little grief book are adapted from How to Go On Living When Someone You Love Dies, by Dr. Therese Rando (pp. 79-80. Bantam Books, 1991). They are a set of expectations for grief that has brought comfort to many as they try to understand and process what they are going through. After my husband lost his father, a grief counselor gave the text to him in a printout; he and his family have said reading it was a memorable and helpful experience in the fog of grief. 

Inspired by his family’s experience and my sister-in-law's beautiful effort typesetting the text into a shareable PDF, I began crafting these small books as my own contribution to the ritual. In time, I enlisted Maggie Orion, a gifted artist and friend, to create bespoke images for each expectation. Amanda Post joined our efforts soon after, creating bespoke stamps and assisting with workshops. We have begun to think of the books as a very small but tangible way to show up for yourself or someone else in grief — a meditation to offer when it's hard to know what else to do.

I’ve always used art to understand and become more deeply aware of my own experiences and feelings and am hopeful that the images here may help connect others to their own grief journey. There is no lack of grief in this world, and this book shines light on the singularity of each loss as well as the collective and shared experiences of heartbreak we all may encounter. 

Spending time with this book, I have found myself invited into my own unique grief as well as connected to the common threads of grief across humanity. As painful as the experience of loss may be, grief, love and life are deeply intertwined and allowing oneself to be intimate with grief seems to me one of the more worthy endeavors of living. 

I am grateful to Myfanwy for asking me to participate in this project and to Therese Rando for her wise words. The loss of my own loved ones informed so much of my painting for this project, and it is to them and the great love we shared to which I dedicate my work. 

-Maggie Orion, Watercolorist & Illustrator

We've only just begun this practice, giving the small number of books I can construct in my free time to friends and family. Our long-term hope is to offer the books through an all-volunteer group of makers, maybe as a nonprofit, so that we can cover the cost of materials and supply the books to more people experiencing grief. If this mission inspires you, please, follow along with us - I post about the project on Instagram @brightsnailpress, and have started this baby website here. Like the books, progress will be slow-made, but hopefully lasting.

Thank you for reading,

Myfanwy